Bills fans react to Tyler Bass' missed FG, reliving horrors of Scott Norwood's wide right: "NFL script writers are sadists"
Bills fans had to relive the horror of a field goal going 'wide right' as Tyler Bass mimicked Scott Norwood's infamous miss in the 2024 Divisional round AFC playoff game against the Chiefs. To recollect what happened, the score was 27-24 and Buffalo was in field goal range to tie the game. The clock was already in the final two-minute warning and it would have given the home team the opportunity to take the match into overtime.
Up stepped Tyler Bass and kicked the ball. He watched, along with the assembled Bills fans at the Highmark stadium, his attempt sail wide right. It gave the ball back to Kansas City and they secured a first down before a series of kneel-downs brough the game to a close and sent the Chiefs to the AFC Championship.
It was traumatic viewing for everyone of a Bills persuasion, especially if they were old enough to have watched Super Bowl XXV. In that game, Scott Norwood had the chance to win Buffalo's first ever championship by kicking a 47-yard field goal with eight seconds left. The score was 20-19 to the New York Giants and his attempt went wide right by a foot, with broadcaster Al Michaels making the term famous on ABC.
It gave the Giants their second Lombardi Trophy and became the first of Buffalo Bills' losses in the title game. They would go on to appear in three consecutive Super Bowls after this harrowing miss and lose all of them. It is a drought that is still ongoing and having an MVP-caliber quarterback in Josh Allen was supposed to break that duck. Instead, history repeated itself as Tyler Bass fluffed his lines like Scott Norwood and their championship ring must go on for another year.
Bills fans were understandably upset with the turn of events and bemoaned their luck in such games. They took to X, formerly Twitter, to vent their frustrations and sadness. Here is a look at some of the reactions.
Buffalo Bills show class in protecting Tyler Bass just as they did to Scott Norwood after original 'Wide Right'
As painful this was for the Buffalo Bills, they showed incredible empathy even in defeat. When Scott Norwood missed, head coach Marv Levy had his kicker's back.
Similarly, Josh Allen had every right to blame his teammate for losing the game despite him throwing for one touchdown and rushing for two more. Instead, he comforted Tyler Bass as they left the field.
Such togetherness should stand them in good stead for the future and hopefully one day the script will flip in their favor.